


Healing Touch (JOSH DUN)

by RockWithItWriting



Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots, Tyler Joseph - Fandom, josh dun - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Blood, F/M, Gore, Horror, Horror AU, Psychological Horror, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-10 15:47:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7851322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockWithItWriting/pseuds/RockWithItWriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two young adults, addicted. Sealed in a rehab facility. They don’t have anyone to lean on but each other.</p><p>-----<br/>fantasy au much like american horror story so if you’re going into it thinking that it’s a normal au it’s not. i realized i forgot to put it out there that it is  fantasy-horror story and i will, eventually, be using trigger warnings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. INTRODUCTION

The room when she first stepped in was gray. Unlike what she thought it was going to be, white, it was all gray. The walls were gray, so was the carpet, the bed sheets and the frame and all of the furniture. It was all gray.

Carter sighed and put down her backpack, turning to look at her teary eyed mother. She looked like Carter, dark skin affected by vitiligo and curly, thick hair tied back into a messy bun. Ironically enough they looked as if they could be sisters but Carter knew that when she turned to look at her new, gray room that her mother was anything but a sister. Her mother was more like a monster, heaving her off into an asylum when she could very well help her daughter through her addiction.

Carter scowled at her mother, crossing her arms. “Don’t look at me like that…” Her mother was shaking and maybe it was the fact Carter was jonesing but she brushed it off.

“Oh, I won’t be looking at you when you leave me here.” Carter snapped, “So leave.” Her mother wilted and Carter felt a flicker of guilt, but a look at her face, sallow and tired, in a mirror behind her mother ended that guilt. Her mother didn’t speak until she was halfway out of the door, glancing back at Carter.

“Your father thinks this will help you.”

“Jeremy isn’t my father,” Carter snarled, stomping toward her mother. The nurse who had accompanied them to the room stepped in, hand raised in case Carter became violent. The girl backed off, scowling, and then her mother was escorted out of the asylum, leaving her behind. The guard that had jumped into the room sighed through his nose, extending a hand.

“I’m Tyler,” He said, “I know it’s going to be hard, especially the first couple of days as you start the program and go through withdrawal so we’re going to place you with a partner.” Carter gritted her teeth but nodded knowing that she needed someone to shoulder the weight of her anger and the way she would definitely try to run away. It didn’t matter how much Carter knew that she needed help, she would refuse it until her death.

“Right,” Carter drawled, “So do I have to wear a gown or is there a uniform?” She was snarling and she almost felt bad for Tyler, but she didn’t. He could leave, go home to his family and his wife- Carter spied the ring instantly. He looked down and nodded.

“Your partner will explain it. Come on, he’s in the rec room. It’s activity time.”


	2. THE DRIPPING MAN

The rec room was, surprisingly, not gray.

It had baby blue walls and the furniture was all dark wash wood and there were various people scattered around. Carter felt the urge to pull her hair down to hide her face when every pair of eyes shot to her and Tyler when they entered.

She could hear the whispers of new meat, fresh meat followed her as Tyler lead Carter to a back room, knocking three times before entering. The sounds of a woman singing and a slow, steady drum beat filled her chest and calmed her. Carter had always loved music and it was the only thing that kept her calm when her mother and step-douche began yelling at her, telling her that she needed to stop or she would end up killing herself.

Tyler peeked around a corner before his face brightened and he disappeared. Carter followed, arms crossed, scowl on her face because her head was beginning to throb and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the chatter around her that was beginning to get louder because she was begging to get sober.

The drums and the singing stopped as Carter turned the corner, a man with red hair behind a drum kit and a woman, two women, were sitting in front of a microphone on a old, ragged couch. The man behind the drum set leapt up and took Tyler in a tight hug, grinning the whole time. Carter took a step back because there was another man behind the drumkit, dripping wet with a sallow face and flesh falling from his face.

She tried not to look at him, instead looking at the girls who were staring at her, without flinching. Carter knew, or thought, what they were thinking. It would be about her skin or her hair or how her eyes kept flicking over to the drumkit as the man and Tyler talked and caught up heartily. Then Tyler turned to her, one heavy hand on her shoulder.

“This is Carter. Carter this is Josh.” Josh, the man with red hair, grinned and took her in a hug. Carter stiffened and pushed him away harshly scowling as she tried to stop her muscles from twitching. Anger bubbled in her and Carter wanted to go find a way to get out of the rehab facility to find a drink. The man in the corner was coming closer, making her stomach turn and her lungs feel weighted with water that wasn’t there.

“Please, don’t touch me,” Carter’s body was vibrating with Josh’s pain, a deep yearning for something that Carter couldn’t place her finger on, she never could. Under Tyler’s harsh stare Carter mumbled an apology before pushing her hand out to shake his, Josh’s smile never faltering.

“It’s fine, I get it,” Josh conceded, “When I first got here I didn’t want anyone to touch me. Melanie,” Said girl raised her hand in greeting and Carter nodded, “Doesn’t like to be touched either. Halsey doesn’t mind.” The other girl, the one with the short, blonde hair nodded so Carter knew who she was. Carter looked toward Tyler, who had an arm draped around Josh.

“Josh, here, is your partner and your sponsor. He’s in year three of the five year program.” Then he turned to Josh, “Carter is participating in the two year program with us! So you’re getting released within weeks of each other.” Carter nodded and took in the information that she had already taken in when admitted but Josh swung his body around to stand next to Carter.

“I’ll show you the ropes- I’m sure Tyler doesn’t mind letting us out of activity time?” Tyler grinned and waved them off. Josh said: “Sick!” And then bounded out the door, Carter on his heels. The eyes that were staring at her, from patients and those hanging around the patient’s, made Carter’s hair stand on end. Josh led her through the hallways until they reached a door that had sketches on it, faded and worn. Josh let her in and she was amazed- nothing in his room was gray except for the walls and carpet, but even then there was a red rug on the floor.

Carter pushed past a still grinning Josh and gaped at his room. His bedspread was navy blue and he had a desk of the same color with a laptop on it. Carter turned to Josh, pointedly ignoring the dripping man who slid in just before the door clicked shut behind Josh. “How do you have such a cool room? And why aren’t you wearing the scrubs everyone else is wearing? They said that I would have to wear the uniform!” Josh flung himself on his bed, relaxing as he grinned at Carter.

“I’ve been here for three years.” He patted beside him for Carter to sit, so she did, as Josh explained. “Once you start getting on good behavior they give you things. Perks. Little things to keep us from going more crazy.” Carter scowled and glared at Josh.

“I’m here for rehab.” She deadpanned, “Not because I’m crazy.” Josh snorted and then looked at the sallow faced, dripping man standing next to his bed.

“You see him, too, don’t you? You’re one of us.”


	3. THE FIRST NIGHT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: blood, gore, mentions of death

Carter rocketed to her feet later that night, tripping over her covers as she crashed to the ground.

Her chest was heaving and she felt light headed as she stared at the ceiling. What had she even been dreaming about? The dripping man stood over her, mouth open and dripping water all over her. Slowly, painfully slow, he reached out a hand and pulled Carter to her feet by her grey scrub top.

Then he slammed her down into the floor, impact making her lose her breath, and she was falling. The wind rushed past her and hurt her eyes, so she closed them, curling in on herself. Carter didn’t know what was happening, she only knew that she didn’t like it. Her stomach was rolling and tears were leaving her eyes and then flying away as she fell.

She wanted it all to end.

And end it did.

She spared a look to where she was falling and saw the ground rushing rapidly toward her. In a blink it was gone and the falling feeling was replaced with Carter rolling out of bed and landing heavily on the floor. She took a moment to let her hair fall around her face, shielding her from the darkened, unfamiliar room and then Carter pushed herself up and tied her hair with the black band around her wrist. The world spun once, throwing her to the ground once more, and when Carter got her bearings the dew chilled her to the bone through the gray scrubs she was wearing.

Throwing her mind into overdrive there was a howl nearby- that of a wolf seeking pray- so Carter stood and cursed, easily spotting a barely-there, barely lit house in the distant. She could barely see it through the fog but started at a quick jog toward it.

By the time Carter reached the gnarly, knotted tree in the front yard she could hear someone trailing her, approaching and not stopping as she tried to grasp any semblance of breath. Carter ran faster, if it were possible, and threw open the door to the house before slamming it just moments before an emaciated, snarling wolf slammed into it. Carter locked the deadbolt before turning, recoiling when she saw the peeling, cracked walls covered in blood, still fresh. She didn’t know what was happening, only that the dripping man had arrived from the living room that opened into the hallway she was standing in and that she needed to get away.

Carter dashed into the kitchen and slammed the door, finding a knife to brandish. Just as she unsheathed it from the knife block and turned, there was a girl in front of her. The girl’s eyes were white and swirled with blood, dirt and grime. Carter visibly gagged as she scrambled backward, collapsing against the counter. She babbled, looking for something to say but the girl gave Carter a sweet smile taking one hauntingly smooth step toward her.

“Hello.” Her voice sounded like it came from the trees and swam through fog to get to Carter’s ears, leaving it hoarse and breathy. “I see you’re new.” Carter didn’t reply and when her shaking made it clear she wasn’t going to, the girl spoke again, “I see you’ve met Conrad. And Spot. I’m Melissa. You must be Carter. Josh was just here, telling me about you. He comes every week.”

Carter leapt forward, emboldened by the name drop of one of her acquaintances and swiped the knife across Melissa’s neck. Nothing much happened. Blood splattered over her front, spraying from Melissa’s neck and the girl fizzled out like a TV with rabbit ears, unfocused. But then she was back, looking good as new and her face dropped as her grimy, white eyes gazed at Carter.

“Shame,” She preened taking one step closer, “I liked you.”

Carter barely had time to ponder what it meant before Melissa forcibly pushed her hand into the elder girl’s gut, hand clasping around her stomach and she twisted. Blood bubbled up Carter’s throat and she groaned, curling in on her middle before spots of blood blurred over her vision, falling like tears down her face and she collapsed.

When Carter opened her eyes Josh was hovering over her, three of him whirling around as he spoke, trying to get her attention. Her eyes focused on him and his voice finally came into focus and broke through the ringing in her ears.

“You let him touch you didn’t you?” He asked, panicked, “The dripping man? You let him touch you?” Carter nodded as Josh lifted her off of her floor, collapsing onto her bed with Carter’s body slumped into his, “You never let him touch you. I should have told you. I’m sorry.” Carter shook her head, the movement making her stomach turn and ache. Josh rubbed his hand down her back, trying to soothe her and Carter felt her own addiction eating away at her and Josh’s as well. But she didn’t care. She needed to figure out what was happening but her jaw felt so heavy, like it was cemented shut. “Did you see the house?” Josh asked softly, “The house and the wolf and the girl?”

“Yeah,” She said, voice hoarse, “She told me about you.”

Josh nodded and sighed, “You died. You died and went to hell. That’s what that was.” Carter felt her fear taking over her body, like ice in her veins. The news was new to her, but it made sense. It was like she knew that it was hell when she was there and it looked like hell, dark and grimy and scary. Josh was holding her, apologizing every moment or so.

“How come you let him touch you?” She finally asked when her body didn’t feel so heavy and Josh shifted until they were laying side by side, tangled in the covers as their bodies ached. “You told me to never let him touch me a couple of minutes ago? Why did you let him touch you?” Josh heaved out a sigh.

“I knew that you were going to let him touch you. I need to know where he was sending you tonight. I needed to know if you were going to hell or if you were going to…” Josh let the silence hang in the air as Carter turned her head to gaze at him. In a moment, seeing his tense jaw and far-away eyes gazing at the ceiling she had a feeling the rehab facility was not what the brochures said they were.

The dripping man in the corner, watching as her body ached next to Josh’s solidified that feeling.


	4. WHAT USED TO BE

Josh woke her from a sleep Carter didn’t know she was in for breakfast, pulling her to her feet.

She saw blood covered the stomach of her gray top but she just pulled it off in the bathroom, inspecting her flat, smooth stomach. Nothing was different, not even her vitiligo, and Carter breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled on fresh scrubs.

Josh led her to the breakfast hall, all eyes on her once again. Neither spoke as they went through the line, getting a hearty helping of scrambled eggs with a side of bacon. Carter was surprised because she heard nothing but bad things about rehab food, but the eggs looked pretty good.

“Do you want to find somewhere to sit on your own or do you want to sit with me and my friends?” Josh asked, looking at Carter as he stood off to the side. Carter shrugged and bit her lip.

“I’ll sit with you, I guess.” Josh grinned, eyes crinkling, as he lead her toward a table filled to the brim with people. Some were familiar, like Halsey and Melanie, but others were unfamiliar like the man with a strong jaw line and the man who looked too tall for his scrubs. Carter noted, with a shock, that there weren’t any other women around besides herself, Halsey and Melanie. Josh greeted everyone with a vigor strange for early in the morning and Carter stood back, tray shaking in her hand.

Melanie smiled at her, scooting closer to Halsey to allow room for Carter to sit and she did, silently expressing gratitude with a small smile and a soft, “Thank you.” Carter ate in silence as the boys caused a ruckus, Tyler making his way over with a small, shaking man in civilian clothing who was ringing his hands. Carter smiled as Tyler told the boys to settle down, shoveling the rest of her eggs in her mouth as Tyler introduced the new man, Frankie, to the group. His exact words were: I think he’ll like it here and I think he’ll fit right in.

The unofficial leader of the group, the man with shaggy red hair and a leather jacket over his scrubs shook Frankie’s hand and spoke, “I’m Gerard. I’m the only one here without a partner, so I guess you’re mine!” Frankie gave the man, Gerard, a shaky smile as he nodded. “I’ll introduce you, since Tyler isn’t going to do it. The other red-headed man is Josh Dun and his partner is Carter,” Startled, she looked up, bacon hanging from her mouth as she waved to Frankie. “She came here yesterday. This is Dallon,” He patted the too-tall man on the back and then gestured to the irritated man next to Dallon, bags deep under his eyes, “And this is his partner Brendon. Those two girls next to Carter are Halsey and Melanie,” Who raised their hands respectively, “And the bro with too much eyeliner is Pete.”

Carter snorted and glanced over at Pete, who’s eyeliner was very thick just like the blush on his cheeks. Carter shifted when she realized that she had finished her food without saying a word. She felt nervous, if it was offending the dripping man stood off to the side, just in her eyeline. She sighed and shifted closer to Melanie, hoping being around those who were alive would keep the dripping man away.

Carter watched as Josh twisted around, catching sight of the dripping man before he excused himself, nodding for Carter to follow him. She stood, gripping the black tray with white knuckles, as she followed Josh toward the conveyor belt that would take their dirty trays away. He looked somber, as if she was missing something, and didn’t lead her back to the table.

Carter followed him out into the empty hallway, sneaking out as the orderlies were looking away, and her heart was hammering and fear was bundling in her stomach because the dripping man was following her. Josh took three turns and two staircases before opening a door to the caged in room to the facility. Silently he lead Carter to the edge, to gaze over the front garden and the trees rising solemnly from the fog.

Carter gasped and scooted closer to Josh, loneliness creeping up her throat. “Your friends are loud.” She observed. Josh chuckled and nodded.

“They are. I was friends with Tyler before I was admitted. I made friends with Pete, Brendon, Dallon, Gerard, Halsey, and Melanie my first week in here. We were admitted on the same day. I’m sure Frankie will fit in. And you will, too.” Josh nudged her shoulder and they shared a smile. Silence overtook them, wind whistling for a moment before Carter spoke again.

  
“Before my Mom admitted me I was a model. I worked with everyone from Sephora to Estee Lauder to Wal-Mart. My vitiligo makes me unique and my shapely, symmetrical face makes me attractive. I was approached for movies because I represent niche of people that aren’t even represented in the first place.” Carter’s brows furrowed as she told her story, unprompted, “I started drinking. I can… I can see ghosts, you know, all around. I thought the dripping man was just another ghost, attached to you. But anyway, I started drinking. The pressure of modeling, having the perfect body and having to keep appearances up all the time and the ghosts, God, the ghosts… It was all too much. I nearly drank myself to death. I feel like I’m going to die right now because I want to leave and go get a drink.”

Josh watched her as she spoke, hands still shaking, and he sighed. “You didn’t have to tell me that.”

“I did. You’d never understand how I am unless you knew that.”

“I was in a band. With Tyler, before he admitted me. Then he went back to college and got a job and came to work here. I was a drummer, in a band. We’re pretty famous but we… Had to tell our fans we were breaking up. I can’t just disappear for five years, you know.” Josh sighed through his nose again, “I have anxiety, but I’m medicated. Every morning right before I wake up. I actually went to get my medicine befoe I woke you for breakfast. That’s not why I’m admitted, of course, but that’s a story too long for today.

“I can’t tell you why everyone else is here, of course, because that would be rude and horrible of me. You’ll have to ask them because it’s… It’s a trip finding out why we’re all stuck in this hell. I’m sorry you’re here.”

Carter looked over and found Josh staring at her with hardened eyes, “I’m sorry you’re here because it’s never going to be the same again. You’re never going to be the same. Nobody is. This place with ruin you. And I’m sorry.”


	5. OLD SCHOOL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning: mentions of demons, blood, gore, body horror, just general horror

Carter was stood in Josh’s room as he rooted through his closet, searching for something.

His jeans were tight and worn but he was wearing the gray top and he mumbling to himself. He had taken Carter to his room for free time and promptly ignored her, gathering two backpacks, plain and black.

He moved in a flurry, filling them with miscellaneous objects and clothing and snacks. Josh returned from the closet and pushed a leather jacket, worn, into her arms. “Put this on. It’s going to be cold where we’re going.”

His face was filled with determination so Carter trusted him, pulling the jacket over her arms and zipping it. Josh grinned when he watched the way it hung off her body and dragged her shirt up her stomach, baring it to him, when she raised her hand to tie her hair back in a tight bun. She didn’t know where they were going, only that it had been a week since she arrived in what she had dubbed Hell and she trusted Josh. She had become very close to him in a week’s time and his group had readily accepted her.

Josh was still moving in a flurry, pulling a hoodie over his shirt before hooking his backpack over his shoulders, smiling heartily at Carter as she stood, confused with her backpack at her feet. “Well? Put the backpack on.” And so she did.

Josh grinned again, taking her hand to lead her to closest, “I don’t know how they haven’t figured out this is here, but they haven’t. I showed it to Tyler when he first put me here, before he got the job, and he hasn’t mentioned it. I think it’s got some power that makes certain people forget about it.” Standing in the dark closet, Carter began to feel uneasy. Josh was rambling, nearly shaking in excitement, what was he going to show her? Why was it in his closest?

And then he opened the door. And no, not the door that would open to his room, but another door farther back in the closet and a rush of cold air made Carter shiver. Josh turned to her, “We can only go one at a time. Follow me.” And then he disappeared into the blackness inside the door. Carter froze in fear when she heard the choking sound of air being forced out of Josh’s lungs and the cracking of bones through the silence. Carter was afraid to step through the door but then she felt a cold hand land on her shoulder, there but not really, and Josh’s voice wafted through the draft from the door.

“Go, it’s okay.” And the chill down the spin made Carter step into the doorway, sucked in by a vacuum created by something unearthly. Her breath was pulled from her throat and it felt like a hand was clawing out of her as her spine collapsed. Carter felt her legs give out; her eyes rolled up and hands clenched around her biceps, invisible hands clenching so hard they drew blood. Carter collapsed and laid on the ground, feeling the cool concrete pressing into her cheek as she heaved breath in and pushed it out, desperately clinging to some semblance of consciousness where her body didn’t ache like she died a thousand deaths.

A hand shook her back and the pain drifted away slowly. Hands hooked under her arms, pulling her to her feet and Carter let her head loll back onto a shoulder. Looking up she spotted Josh’s grinning face and grimaced. “Where are we?”

“I’m sorry it hurt so much. I should have told you, but I figured you wouldn’t come with me.” Josh pushed Carter until she was standing woozily on her feet, only looking at his face to stop the darkened room around her from spinning.

“Where are we?”

Josh spread his arms in a grand gesture, glancing around still with the grin on his face. Then he pointed behind Carter. She looked and her stomach flipped when she saw the printing on the wall, a decrepit bench below it. In fact, everything around her seemed worn down and dirty and Carter shivered, another shiver heading through her body. “We’re in the old asylum. That right there is my room,” And Josh pointed a door to their left and Carter realized, with a jolt, that the layout of the hallway they were in mirrored that of the hospital they were staying in. “I don’t know how I got here the first time, in fact, I can’t remember. But this is where I like to come when I just need to get away. Time stays frozen while we’re here.” Carter smiled and walked toward the bench, glancing around the corners briefly.

She turned to Josh and watched him watch her and he walked toward her, taking her hand in his.

“I have to show you my favorite room. Actually, it’s your room.” Carter let Josh lead her, taking in the way the asylum was run down around her, the way ceiling tiles had fallen and cracked and she treaded on them with no care. Josh passed a wing of windows and Carter gazed out into the green fog, her eyes straining to see a figure in the distance. Josh tugged her into another room, hands covering her eyes, as he lead her deeper into the room. Then he let her eyes open and the first thing Carter saw was the brown swipe of bloody letters on the wall. A chill ran down her spine when she realized how, exactly, those words had been painted and with what.

“What is this place?” Carter moved until she was standing over the bed, broken, worn and dirty, and Josh was at her side. Vibrations rang out from every corner of the room, screaming pain and torment in the corners of Carter’s brain, “It’s horrible. Horrible things happened here.” The smile gone from his face, Josh nodded.

“It is. I come here when I need a reminder that five years in a hospital with good food is nothing compared to a lifetime in an asylum with nuns and ghosts and demons.”

Carter’s head whipped toward him, stumbling three or so steps back.

“Demons?” She croaked, “You didn’t tell me about any fucking demons!” She began to shake with fear, unwelcome visions probing at the edge of her eyes like bugs. She could feel the demon, as if awakened by a conversation about him, and he was coming closer. “We have to go. We have to leave now.” And the energy was familiar, something Carter had grown to know, like a weight on her back or a pressing on her lungs. She snatched Josh’s hand and lit out of the room with the bed and the message and as soon as she took four steps out he was there.

But he was different.

All of the other times Carter had seen him he had been tall and broad, a force to be reckoned with but no, not in the asylum. In the asylum he was small, timid, nothing but a dark shadow of long hair and a white dress at the end of the hallway, one light swinging and flickering overhead. Carter lost her breath. Josh cursed. The demon took a step forward.

Carter turned and ran. Josh was tugged along, tripping, losing his backpack in the process as Carter took turns unfamiliar to her. Soon they were familiar, a small, frail boy merely jogging next to her to keep up with her frantic pace. Carter knew Josh couldn’t see him.

“He’s the dean,” The boy said, accent thick, “And he doesn’t like visitors. I can help you get out, but I’ll surely be punished.” And then he was gone, nothing but a wisp of smoke and a whisper of pain to tell Carter he was real.

Like a movie Carter saw the turnes, two lefts, down a staircase and a right until they would break free from the front door. The movie didn’t last long and by the time it was over she was practically dragging Josh down the staircase, looking frantically over her shoulder as the demon watched over them from the top. She pushed Josh around the corner and screeched when the demon was sitting on the bottom step, bottom lip stuck out as she tried to look dejected. Carter kept running, seeing Josh holding the front door open, ushering Carter to him. She was there, almost there, when another body crashed into her, legs tangling with hers. Carter pushed herself up, staggering through the door before she looked back too see who tripped her.

It looked like Tyler, except his face was blurred out like a photograph that wasn’t in focus and Carter stumbled, a cry choking from her throat as Josh shoved the doors shut as the demon bore down on Tyler. It slammed and Carter was wracked with pain, everything around her, the atmosphere and the trees and Josh’s body pressing down on her until her lungs collapsed and blood poured from her eyes, nose and mouth.

All in a second it was over and Carter was panting on the floor of Josh’s closet, his body quivering next to her. Neither spoke until the door opened and Tyler looked down on them, face returned to normal but a bright red mark growing over his nose.

“What did you two do?”


	6. OLD DOGS, NEW FUCK UPS

Tyler pulled her up and then grabbed Josh, both looking absolutely petrified.

He was sure their bodies were aching, but he needed to know what they did, because they did something. He stood them up, leaned them against each other, before he peered into the hallway. It was empty, lights flickering, and on the floor below them Tyler could hear clamoring, trying to calm down the patients who needed the lights to keep their sundowning at bay.

But that’s not what Tyler was worried about.

He reached back into the room, grabbing a still fazed Carter and Josh, before lugging them down the hall. He kicked open the security door and eyed the people crammed in the room, shoving Carter toward Melanie and Halsey before sitting Josh in the only seat in the room. Tyler shut the door before looking over his friends with fire in his eyes.

  
“What did you do?” He repeated, “What did you two do?”

“I saw you,” Carter spoke, “In that other world. The other dimension. You were there, but you weren’t.” Tyler’s jaw clicked as he worked it side to side, leaning over Josh to pull up security footage, rewinding until an eerily familiar scene played out in front of them. It was a high angle and Tyler stepped back to watch as two shapes, like light being obstructed by two bodies, only a thin line showing, rushed back.

Tyler saw himself on the screen, back to the camera as he panicked, seeing the same thing as he could in the present on the screen. He watched himself rush toward them, colliding with the smaller shape, and they fell to the ground. Carter’s body flashed on the screen, briefly, and her face looked sunken and dead, like the life had been sucked out of her and her skin turned to leather. Tyler closed his eyes as his crew gasped.

And then he felt a chill go over him as another shape emerged from off the camera, one hand outstretched as she floated toward him. It was like he was back on the floor, watching the little girl reach for him. And then, the lights went out on the screen and the footage cut off.

The security room was eerily silent until someone shoved in the corner spoke up. It was Brendon, “So we totally all saw that shit, yeah?” Gerard and Pete agreed, both pale. Tyler looked over the room and almost felt bad because Carter looked like she was going to get sick. Josh began to talk, babble, before he stood and looked over the room.

“Time isn’t supposed to pass while I’m in there,” He mumbled, looking for Carter, “That isn’t possible. And that little girl- she was the demon from the Other. And that was me, and Carter, but how?” Carter’s eyes widened.

“It’s another dimension,” She said, “An alternate universe where this place never got turned into a rehab. This place, it’s evil. It was an asylum in the fifties and sixties and that was horrible. The demon, you know, he must have- the little boy said he was the dean- he must have been feeding off of the energy when it was open and split off into another dimension. Josh,” She whipped around, “What did your room used to be? Was it a room when this place was an asylum? Or was it an office.”

“An office,” Gerard and Frank answered together before Frank continued, “We were in the library for free time and, well, there’s a map in there. It used to be the dean’s office for private meetings with patients.”

Carter shook her head and Tyler watched Melanie grip the girl’s hand to settle their heads, “That’s- that’s why there’s the portal there. We need to seal it up because if he’s got out once, he’ll get out again. But to do that we need to go back. All of us. Safety in numbers, we’ll be less likely to be possessed.”

Her words hung in the air as all eyes turned back to the security monitor which was flickering over all of them, displaying the last frame: Tyler, on the ground, about to be overtaken by the demon. He knew it was a bad idea, but he was going to help her.

He was going to go to the Other.


	7. INTO THE OTHER

Carter had never been in charge before but it felt natural to her as she stood in front of everyone, Josh’s clothing too big on her, but they all needed to be dressed the same.

The other dimension they were going to would play tricks on their minds, so if they were all wearing black tank tops and jeans, they would know.

She took a deep breath, eyes flicking over faces and repeating names in her head.

_Josh._

_Tyler._

_Brendon._

_Pete._

_Gerard._

_Frank._

_Dallon._

_Melanie._

_Halsey._

In total there were ten of them and Carter was divvying up partners in her head, but that could come later. “We all have vices. That’s why we’re here. I’m addicted to drugs and alcohol. I’ve tried to kill myself three times. I see ghosts and auras and I can sense things you can’t.” Her breath shook in her lungs, “You guys have your own vices. These things, the reasons we’re here, can get us killed in there. Because of the things we’re carrying on our backs it’s easier for us to get possessed. The demon we say on the footage isn’t the only one in the Other. I sensed more, but they were dormant. Now they’re not.

“I need to know why you’re here. I need to know how they’ll try to worm their ways into your head. They’ll twist your thoughts and they’ll make you see things that aren’t there. So you need to tell me, so I can help you in any way that I can.” Silence fell over them as everyone shifted uncomfortably.

“Drugs,” Brendon spoke up, “Drugs and I died. For a little bit I was dead and I saw heaven and it was so bright, so white. Then, I dunno, I was falling and I wasn’t me anymore. My body hurt and I felt like I was growing things that weren’t there. When I woke up they shipped me here.” I nodded.

“Thank you for telling us, Brendon. We’re kinda the same. Anyone else here for drugs?” Pete, Melanie, and Frank raised their hands and I nodded. “Anything special?”

“I was high and I crashed a car. I killed my best friend.” Pete shattered the silence with his admission, “Sometimes I see him skittering around a corner but I know it’s just my mind tripping like it did from the acid.” I nodded again, but I knew that if he really was seeing his friend that could help us.

“I tried to kill myself,” Josh whispered, “Tyler admitted me. Got a job to watch over me.”

“Same here,” Dallon said. Halsey raised her hand and looked to the ground, tears welling in her eyes. Dallon continued to speak, “They told me I was addicted to pain. I assume that’s true for Halsey and Josh, too.” The only one who hadn’t spoke was Gerard and Carter looked to him to gauge what he would say.

“I’m a combination of everything. They told me I was addicted to cheating death. Said it was unsafe. I don’t really understand why I’m here.”

Carter sighed and nodded before she tied her hair back, grasping her backpack and hooking it over her shoulder. “We’re going to go in partners. It doesn’t matter who you go with, but there’s ten of us.” Eventually Josh ended up gripping her elbow so tight it would leave bruises, Dallon and Brendon stood close together and Melanie was basically hanging off of Halsey.

Gerard and Frank paired up and Tyler went with Pete. When Carter was satisfied she gestured to Josh’s closet, instructing Tyler and Pete to go first to be lookouts as she sent the others through. The sound was even worse from the outside and soon she was left alone with Josh, his hand still on her elbow but then she leaned against him, heaving out a heavy breath. “It’s our turn,” She mumbled. “Let’s go and finish this off, yeah?”

Josh looked down at her, lip trembling, before he nodded. “We don’t want anything hurting our friends. If we have to stop this from the inside out, let’s do it.” Before she could register the pain her back was pressed to cold, wet dirt and she was staring at the ceiling, dazed. Brendon was helping her up and the group was staring at a ladder that barely looked able to hold the weight of a toddler.

“This isn’t where we were last time, Josh,” Carter looked to him for answers but he looked just as scared as the rest of them, “That means they know we’re here.”

“What does that mean?” Frank asked timidly ringing his hands in front of him, “That they know we’re here?” Carter searched for words that would fully explain the shit storm that they would wade through to exorcise the Dean, but she found none. Instead she turned her wide, brown eyes toward Frank and shrugged. In lieu of speaking she grabbed Josh’s wrist to lead him to the ladder, silently leading the group to the ladder. It didn’t matter what happened to them because if the Dean broke through, if that demon was released into their dimension, it would fuck everything up. Sure, they had demons in their dimension and their universe, but it was different than interdimensional demon rivalries.

The ladder creaked under Carter’s weight and she pulled her body up into a bright room. There were no windows and no lights, but yet the light was almost blinding. The room, because of the trap door, didn’t have enough standing room for their group of ten so Josh, Pete, and Tyler squeezed in.

That’s when they noticed the door. It was covered in broken locks and Carter sucked in a deep breath of air when she saw the bloody scratches in the wood, a fingernail covered in dried blood and rotting. She knew someone had been locked in that small room, or the basement, but it was the words on the door that unnerved her more than the blood or the energy rolling off of the door.

_The world’s not safe anymore._

She wondered what year it was, but knew that it must have been the same- 2016. Why would that be any different. Her voice warbled as she delivered another monologue. “Once we’re out there, try to stay together in the group unless I tell you to split. If I tell you to run, you run. Stay in partners, not the group. The group doesn’t matter, but partners do. Stay with your partners.”

“What are we looking for?” Melanie called from below, “I don’t even know what we’re aiming to do.” Carter squatted over the hole and peered into the darkness.

“We’re going to the chapel and we’re getting crosses and Bibles. Then we’re gonna hunt down as many demons as we can and exorcise them. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in God or if you don’t know exorcism prayers. Just keep the bible on you, keep the cross up and you all fuckin’ pray.” Wide eyes were her answer so she looked to Josh.

He just nodded and gestured to the door, telling Carter to open it. She did, pushing it open and stepping out before blinking. A mist hung over her, cold and thick, and she found herself looking for Josh’s warm hand.

“Carter?” The man called but he was nowhere to be found.

“Yeah?” She shouted, “Where are you?” Other voices joined in until a hand wrapped around her bicep, Josh. The duo wrapped their arms around each other. “Have you all found your partner?” She called into the mist. Eight affirmations called out to her and Carter sighed, a small smile rolling over her face. “This isn’t good, because they’re deliberately separating us, but once we’re inside the mist will lift and we’ll be able to see each other again. Head toward the asylum and we’ll meet in the chapel. Be safe, you guys.” Even though Carter and Josh couldn’t see them, they could hear retreating footsteps before a shiver ran through their bodies in tandem. Josh took Carter’s hand in his and they started heading toward the asylum.


	8. NAMED

They finally made it to the front door of the asylum, having lost the rest of the group a long time prior to pushing the doors open.

Josh was still gripping Carter’s hand tightly and she wasn’t sure who was more scared: Josh or herself.

But they finally made it and Carter rejoiced, entering into the stale air and feeling the shiver coming from Josh’s body. The mist had been cold, frigid, and the asylum was a warm, safe haven. The irony was not lost on Carter as she tried to branch out her powers by closing her eyes and trying to feel the energy around them. She could feel her group, each pair stumbling around in the dark grasping onto each other.

But there was another energy. There was the nervous energy of Josh next to her, but there was another energy that was much darker, more powerful, than any of her friends. (If she could even call them that.)  
  
And that energy was moving toward her, toward Josh, at a strangely slow pace. She knew that the moment she opened her eyes and angled her body to look at the door just past the stairs, that the girl that chased them the last time they were there would be looking at her. The realization made her want to keep her eyes closed but she was the only protection Josh had.

So she opened her eyes.

Josh saw the girl the same time as Carter and she felt his exhale on her neck. “What should we do?” He whispered, “Does she see us?”

“He,” Carter corrected, “Don’t be fooled by the form he chooses to take. I’ve dealt with this demon in our dimension. We can’t risk him getting from this one to ours.”

“I’ll repeat: what do we do?”

Carter was involved in a staring contest with the demon through his long hair. She watched his arms twitch beneath the pale, white nightgown and the long, dark hair that covered his face moved as he spoke.

“Run,” His voice echoed, double-toned and sinister, “Or fight.”

It only took a split second before Josh took off toward the steps, dragging Carter along with him. They scampered up the steps and Carter felt a strange power welling in her, gifted by another energy that was light and loveable. She twisted and threw her arm out toward the demon walking up the steps behind them and watched as the he flew back, crashing through the rotting wood of the floor.

“What the fuck!” She yelled, but Josh just kept dragging her. “Fuck, Josh, take a left.” He did, but then she crashed into his back. Clasping onto his sides, she closed her eyes and tried to see if there was a reason he had stopped. There was.

The demon was in front of Josh, the energy of him red and furious. Carter’s stomach dropped and she stepped in front of Josh, feeling another, pure energy entering her. The same one that let her push the demon back without touching him.

“I know your name,” She said, calm, in a voice that wasn’t her own. Josh shuddered behind her, but stayed close, “Vapula. The dean of this asylum. You killed and tortured and raped and experimented. You started as a demon barely worthy of a name to one of the biggest demons of hell.”

“I learned about you in Sunday school,” Josh finally found his voice, but silenced himself with one look from Vapula.

“Smart girl,” He spoke, “Who told you that? Timothy? The small boy who screamed when I branded him and pleaded when I raped him?” Rage jumped in Carter’s veins, being fueled by Timothy’s rage. But, before any rage could be acted out Vapula looked over his shoulder and disappeared into a wisp of white smoke, Timothy’s energy fading with the more sinister energy faded. While Josh caught his breath they could hear rushed footsteps, crying voices, and Dallon rounded the corner, covered in blood before he saw Carter and Josh. He began shrieking, gesturing widely behind him.

“Run!” He screamed, jerking on Josh’s arm, “You have to run!” Carter watched in horror as Dallon slipped and tumbled backward down the stairs, dragging Josh with him. She could only scream as they disappeared into the hole in the floor.


End file.
